CyRide is a partnership between Iowa State University, the ISU Student Government, and Ames, Iowa. CyRide provides public transportation to the community throughout the city of Ames. The word CyRide is a portmanteau of two words: Cy (which is the mascot of the Iowa State Cyclones) and the word ride. In January 2012, CyRide was recognized "as the nation’s small urban transit system with the highest number of rides per capita" at 106 rides per capita.^[3] In 2019, CyRide ranked third in the nation with 110.2 rides per capita, behind the transit systems of New York and San Francisco.^[4]

From the 1860s until the early 1890 college students were taxied to and from campus by a horse-drawn carriage that was operated by brothers, Nichols and Maxwell Livery. The town committee published a report on November 1, 1890 stating that there would be a benefit to create a railroad to replace the current system.^[5]

On July 4, 1892, the rail line, named the dinkey (given by the size of the engine) departed from its barn on the east end of 5th street, for its first 2-mile (3.2 km) trip to the Iowa State University campus.^[5] The dinkey ran on 30 lb/yd (15 kg/m) rail; that is small compared to the 136 lb/yd (67 kg/m) rail that is used today. The dinkey had three passenger cars that were often at maximum capacity because of the growing population of the city.

In 1929, the dinkey was replaced by a bus system that transported passengers to and from the Iowa State University.^[6] In 1976 all operating buses were combined and CyRide was started as a city department.

In 1981 Bob Bourne was hired as the director of CyRide. He brought CyRide from a 12 bus, 3 route system to a 65 bus, 11 route system in his 25 years of employment at CyRide.^[7]

CyRide has considered a "fare-free" system for all Ames residents. In 2008, CyRide received 270,000 dollars from paid fares, a small part of the annual revenue.^[8] This option was not pursued; fares are collected in 2023.^[9] Operating revenues are from many sources, the most significant being the Government of the Student Body of Iowa State University and the university itself. Other sources include the city of Ames and Iowa DOT, and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).^[10] Fares are a small share of total annual revenues, about 2%, and continue to be collected.

In 2009 CyRide was one of 42 applicants to receive a TIGER grant through the Federal Transit Administration. This allowed them to purchase 12 new Hybrid buses at a cost of $6 million. The buses - dubbed 'Cybrids' - have an estimated 6 mpg. The fleet previously averaged about 4.5 mpg fuel efficiency.^[11]

In 2019, Ames ranked third in the US for transit rides per capita, a measure of the importance of the service to the city, and of the high quality of service delivered. “Entering the new decade, CyRide ranked third in the nation in ridership per capita, standing at 110.2 rides per capita, trailing only New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority and San Francisco’s Municipal Transportation Agency.”^[4] The anticipated decline in ridership in early 2020 reflects ISU’s expectation of a decline in student enrollment over the next five or ten years. Students are a major part of the ridership. CyRide gains extra financial support from FTA based on its high quality of operation and service as shown in specific service quality measures.^[4]

Iowa State Students

Undergraduate students of Iowa State University are able to ride CyRide without paying the normal fare by presenting the bus driver with their Iowa State identification card.^[13] This is necessary on all bus routes except the 21 Cardinal, 23 Orange and 25 Gold Routes which always allow passengers to travel without charge. Iowa State University charges a fee each semester to all undergraduate students for CyRide service. This student fee is paid to CyRide to subsidize the cost of operations.

Reduced Fare Riders

To qualify for reduced fare, you must be a student in grades K-12, a senior citizen, or a person with a disability. The reduced Fare is US$0.50^[13] for a one way trip. Multiple tickets can be purchased at a time, if a ticket book is purchased in advance. Reduced fare ticket books come in a packet of 10 which cost US$5.^[13] Ticket books can be bought at local grocery stores, Ames City Hall, and CyRide headquarters.

Full Fare Riders

Full Fare Riders covers everyone else who is riding. The regular fare is US$1.00.^[13] Full fare riders can also purchase multiple tickets in advance. Ticket books come in a packet of 10 which cost US$10.^[13] Ticket books can also be bought at local grocery stores, Ames City Hall, and CyRide headquarters.

Children Under Five

Children under the age of five are free with an accompanying adult. There may be no more than three children per adult.^[13]

CyRide currently operates a variety of different transit buses. Much of CyRide's fleet consists of 40 foot buses but there are several 62 foot articulated buses used in high-capacity service and several small buses used for lower-capacity services. The majority of CyRide's 40 foot bus fleet is manufactured by Gillig while the remaining 40 foot bus fleet is manufactured by Orion Bus Industries. CyRide maintained a few GM New Look 40 foot buses for training purposes but none currently remain on the active fleet list. The 62 foot articulated buses (as well as two 40 foot electric buses) are manufactured by Nova Bus. Much of the current fleet can be referenced in the table below.^[17][18]

• 2018 State Bus Roadeo Winner in small bus division^[19]
• 2017 State Bus Roadeo Winners in both large and small bus divisions^[20]
• 26 State Bus Roadeo Winners (as of June 2016)
• 2015 State Bus Roadeo Winner in large bus division^[21]
• 5th place in the 35' bus division at the 2007 APTA International Bus Roadeo
• 2nd place in the 35' bus division at the 2004 APTA International Bus Roadeo
• 2002 APTA Gold Safety Award Finalist
• 1999 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Finalist
• 1997 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Winner
• 1996 APTA AdWheels Award Winner
• 1995 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Winner
• 1993 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Finalist
• 1992 Public Risk Management Administration Achievement Award
• 1991 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Finalist
• 1989 UMTA Outstanding Public Service Award
• 1989 UMTA Administrator's Award^[22]
• 1983 All America City Award

The ridership and service statistics shown here are of fixed route services only and do not include demand response. Per capita statistics are based on the Ames urbanized area as reported in NTD data. Starting in 2011, 2010 census numbers replace the 2000 census numbers to calculate per capita statistics.^[23]

More information Ridership, Change ...

	Ridership	Change	Ridership per capita
2003	4,848,494	n/a	95.58
2004	4,529,451	06.58%	89.29
2005	4,177,180	07.78%	82.35
2006	4,224,428	01.13%	83.28
2007	4,471,336	05.84%	88.15
2008	4,737,992	05.96%	93.4
2009	5,258,530	010.99%	103.67
2010	5,348,981	01.72%	105.45
2011	5,587,101	04.45%	92.44
2012	5,774,124	03.35%	95.54
2013	6,250,952	08.26%	103.43
2014	6,777,675	08.43%	112.14
2015	6,704,537	01.08%	110.93
2016	6,708,382	00.0%	111
2017	6,453,494	03.8%	106.78
2018	6,194,467	04.01%	102.49
2019	5,704,328	07.91%	94.38
2020	2,534,349	055.57%	38.2
2021	2,792,048	010.17%	42.09
2022	3,669,894	031.44%	55.32
2023	4,142,196	012.87%	62.44

Close

• CyRide buses
• Buses preparing to depart for Moonlight Express
• 2012 Gillig Low Floor 40' #105
• 2012 Gillig Low Floor 40' #181
• 2008 Gillig Low Floor 40' #187
• 2010 Gillig Low Floor HEV 40' #425
• 2006 Orion VII #502
• 2005 Orion V #952
• 2015 Gillig Low Floor 40' #1114
• 2018 Gillig Low Floor 40' #1136
• 2020 Gillig Low Floor 40' #1142
• 2023 Gillig Low Floor 40' #1169
• 2016 Nova Bus LFS Artic #6102
• 2002 Orion V #9076
• 2010 Gillig Low Floor HEV 40' #429 interior
• 2006 Orion VII #504 interior
• 2021 Nova Bus LFS Artic #6149 interior
• 2022 Nova Bus LFSe+ #7157 interior
• 2002 Orion V #9074 interior

• List of bus transit systems in the United States
• List of intercity bus stops in Iowa